Bandoleer.



' PATENTED JAN. 7, 1908. F. R. BATOHELDER.

BANDOLEER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-13,1907.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

s ag f M Gar/WW No. 876,131. PATENTBD JAN. 7, 1908.

F. R. BATGHELDER. BANDOLEER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 13.1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT oEErcE.

FRANK B. BATCI-IELDER, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO MILLS WOVEN CARTRIDGE BELT COMPANY, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

BANDOLEER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 7, 1908.

Applieatinn fil February 13,1907. Serial No- 357.214-

T 0 all whom it may concern: n

Be it known that I, FRANK R. BATCIIEL- DER, a citizen of the United States, residing at WVorcester, in the county of W'orcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bandoleers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in bandoleers, and the object is to provide an emergency carrier for extra ammunition to be issued to the soldier on the firing line or when about to go into action, characterized by its extreme lightness, ease of access to the cartridges, comfort to the wearer, and comparative inexpensiveness.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view show ing a bandoleer constructed in accordance with my invention, a portion of a cartridge belt being shown in connection therewith, and Fig. 2 a similar view showing a modified construction.

My improved bandoleer consists of a woven fabric strip designed to be worn about the neck of the soldier in the manner of a stole with the parts" carrying the cartridgepockets extending straight down from the shoulder on either side with the free ends attached to the cartridge belt.

1 designates the neck-portion designed to extend around the neck and across both shoulders of the wearer, said neck-portion being loosely woven in order to form a soft cushion or pad to prevent undue pressure, chafing or galling. The two pendent cartridge carrying portions 2 extend in front and on each side of the body to the cartridge-belt to which they are attached by suitable devices provided at their lower ends, which devicesmay consist of tapes 3, as shown in Fig. 1, clips 4 to engage eyelets in the belt, as shown in Fig. 2, or any other preferred means.

The cartridge-carrying portions 2 of the bandoleer or carrier are each provided with a series of integrally woven pockets 5 to receive the clips of cartridges, the openings of the pockets being so arranged in the weaving of the bandoleer that when the latter is in position, they will be on the same side of both of these portions 2, whereby all of the cartridge clips may be removed by the wearer with the same hand. The bandoleer, being woven as a continuous fabric throughout its entire length in order to arrange the openings of the pockets as above set forth, after one series of pockets is woven the weave is reversed and the other series woven in such a manner that the openings will be at the oppo site side of the bandoleer to that of the first series. Thus when the bandoleer is placed about the neck and shoulders of the soldier with the pendent portions extending down in front, said openings will all be on the same side. Each of the series of pockets is provided with a closing flap 6 also woven intogrally with the bandoleer, which [lap may be secured by flexible fasteners 7 so constructed that a slight pull will be sullicient to disengage the flaps and open the pockets.

Instead of providing closing flaps as shown in Fig. 1, the pockets may be closed by tapes 8 which are normally secured by threads, said pockets being opened by a pulling upon the tapes which effects the breaking of the threads. The closing flaps may be either of the same width as the pockets or carriers, as shown in Fig. 1, or narrower. A narrow flap is preferable because it is less cumbrous and reduces the weight of the bandoleer, but the weaving of the bandoleer is more diflicult. The cartridge pockets are formed of such size that when the cartridges are in position therein the walls of the former will exert a pressure on the latter, which will tend to prevent accidental dislodgement when the flaps are open.

By producing the bandoleer of a single piece of woven cloth having no seams, as compared with the sewing together of the strips of cloth with needle and thread, I obviate any danger of the rotting of threads or the ripping of seams which would cause the easy loss of cartridges, especially at the critical moment when they are needed. My improved bandoleer is so constructed that one part cannot give way before the other part and though it were exposed for a considerable length of time to conditions of heat and dampness, it would not be rendered unlit for use, as there are no sewing threads to rot and no seams to rip.

From the above description, it will be seen that I have produced a bandoleer formed of a continuous Woven fabric having two cartridge-carrying portions, the cartridge-carrying portions being provided with series of pockets, the openings of which on both pendent parts of the bandoleer are on the same side whereby the cartridges may be quickly reached with the same hand, the whole being neck and shoulders of the wearer in the man ner of a stole, with the cartridge-carrying portions extending down in front, andthe ends thereof detachably connected with the cartridge-belt.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A cartridge carrier formed of a woven fabric strip having a neck portion to extend about the neck, and two pendent portions provided with cartridge pockets woven integrally therewith and so arranged that those of both pendent portions open in the'sarne direction when the carrier is in position on the wearer.

2. A cartridge carrier formed of a woven fabric strip having a neck portion to extend around the neck of the wearer, and two pendent portions provided with cartridge pockets woven integrally therewith and on the same side, and so arranged that those of designed to be worn around the both pendent portions will open in the same direction when the carrier is in position on the wearer.

3. A cartridge-carrier formed of a woven fabric strip having a neck portion to extend around the neck of the wearer, and two pendent portions provided with series of cartridge pockets woven integrally therewith, closing flaps for said pockets woven integrally with the strip, and means for detachably holding the flaps closed.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

. FRANK R. BATOHELDER. Witnesses:

AMY C. WARD, ALBERT F. RICHARDSON. 

